This dress and the other I'm listing with it came from the estate of a woman who was at the top of the country music field, both as an entrepreneur and a producer. She had any number of glitzy and gorgeous outfits as you would expect from someone in that field! From the autographed photos alone in the house, she must have been someone very special!
This dress is a total knockout! A show stopper! I could go on and on....
Done in rich royal purple this dress has been design to hug and emphasize every curve, every asset you have to the best advantage! It's draped and swagged and gathered with a master's touch. Can you tell I love this dress?
It's by Tadashi Shoji and that seems to be his gift...to design clothes that make any woman look her best. The tag under his label is illegible...I suspect she must have loved this dress too and wore it often, so we'll work from measurements. The fabric itself is a wonderful silky lightweight polyester/spandex that was used to give all the drape that he wanted. In researching his line I noticed that what I'm calling "drapes" and "swags" are often referred to as "ruching". I tend to think of ruching as a bit different, but you may substitute that for my words as you wish!! This fabric falls so nicely that to me it flows.....
The bustline measures about 18-1/2-19"; the waistline aboaut 14-1/2", the hips (at the top of the swag) about 18-1/2-19" again, all measured lying flat. I'm giving these measurements "with a grain of salt"...I suspect there is enough flexibility in the fabric to allow maxiumum give. I tried to take them without any drape allowance! It measures 50" in length using the back zipper as the starting point...it is both longer and shorter at that point of the hem because of the drapes.
The dress has shoulder pads and long sleeves that cover the wrist with gathers on the underside. The draped area starts on the right shoulder and flows to the left side of the waist; it's also caught on the right side to create more gathering, with the whole lower part beginning at the back zipper below the right waist. The gathered drape that attaches on the left side below the waist drapes to the left side where it meets and forms a flowing panel. (I hope you can follow this description...it was just as hard to explain and write!!)
This covers the under bodice which is made long torso and is cut at least two circular widths around...or more! All this skrt falls into a gorgeous oblique hemline that simple enhances the total flow of the dress. This is indeed created by a master!
Just for a finishing touch there is a lace part on the left front that is swirled with matching purple sequin trim. There are rhinestones scattered here and there that are a much lighter shade...lavender perhaps or possibly even pink? A touch of glitz for added glamour! The only "whoops!" that I can see is that a tiny few of the purple sequins have lost their finish and that there is a hint of fading right at the arm seam on the lace. It's not noticeable until you look for it.
This is an incredible dress, but then, most of his are! I'm sure that it's been a lot of fabulous places (it must have been one of her favorites); don't you wish it could talk?? Now it has a chance to go right on being a show stopper, a knockout for someone new!